The history of the hula-hoop craze

The History of the Hula Hoop

A little girl is posing with a hula-hoop in Vienna, Austria around 1890.

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The History of the Hula Hoop

A little girl is posing with a hula-hoop in Vienna, Austria around 1890.

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The History of the Hula Hoop

Three members of a dance school rehearse for an upcoming performance on the beach at Worthing on June 25, 1935 as one dancer with a hoop pursues two others with small pipes.

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The History of the Hula Hoop

At the height of the hula hoop craze, various techniques are demonstrated in Los Angeles Aug. 20, 1958 as children ranging from 2 to 16 years old competed for prizes on "Art Linkletter's House Party" show. Groups including the Girl Scouts, Brownies, Blue Birds and Campfire Girls were represented.

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The History of the Hula Hoop

This undated image of a family playing with hula hoops outdoors in a yard, circa 1955, right before the height of the hula-hoop- craze .

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The History of the Hula Hoop

Watched by onlookers, Canadian-born television host Art Linkletter smiles as he crouches down to shake hands with a little girl who holds a hula hoop for an episode of the 'Kids Say the Darndest Things' segment of 'Art Linkletter's House Party,' August 20, 1958.

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The History of the Hula Hoop

American big band leader and legendary jazz pianist Duke Ellington shows how he can hula-hoop on the deck of SS Ille de France before embarking at Plymouth on Oct. 6, 1958.

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The History of the Hula Hoop

Benedictine Sisters at the Christ King Convent in Oklahoma City try their hand at the hula hoop craze that is sweeping the country on October 18, 1958.

The History of the Hula Hoop

The History of the Hula Hoop

First Lady Michelle Obama hula hoops with children during the Healthy Kids Fair on the South Lawn of the White House, Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

Samantha Appleton/White House via Corbis

The History of the Hula Hoop

A dancer plays hula hoops during the performances of Embrace China Art Group of All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese in Cairo, Egypt, Feb. 13, 2013.

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The History of the Hula Hoop

Participants perform in a hula hoop competition in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most people dancing with hula hoops, at Thammasat University, Pathumthani, Thailand on Feb. 12, 2013. Nearly 5,000 Thai contestants celebrated in full swing after having set a new world record for the most people dancing with hula hoops simultaneously in one place.